In the context of applications software development, the practice of data binding addresses the common need for an application to access data stored in an independent data source. Generally, data binding involves retrieving data from a data source and subsequently facilitating the use of the retrieved data. In a more specific example, data binding allows a mapping from data (e.g., XML (Extensible Markup Language) data or database data) to a class or other programming structure associated with the application (e.g., a Person .class, a Product class, a Meeting class, etc.). In another example, data binding may be used to retrieve data for use in setting up a software component, such as a “web control” (e.g., list box, drop-down list, etc.) that encapsulates a user interface and other related functionality. After the programmer specifies the data source to be bound (e.g., a data set containing a list of names), a data binding method or function is called, which fills the control with the data (e.g., the names from the list).
Because it provides access to external data, data binding is considered a useful technique. In addition, it also provides some level of protection and integrity for the body of data being accessed. However, traditional data binding techniques have proven awkward and difficult for programmers to control and implement.
Improvements in data binding techniques continue to be made based on specially configured application programming interfaces (APIs) and other tools. Despite these improvements, data binding still proves to be a bottleneck for more rapid application development, especially for beginner programmers who are not comfortable writing the script or code needed to implement data binding.
In a workflow application, “forms” can be used to collect or provide information. So that software developers do not need to write extensive code to provide information in a form or collect user input from a form, the software developers can employ data binding techniques to connect data sources (in the form of XML files or objects) to a workflow form. However, current programming environments (e.g., Microsoft Visual Studio 2005® or Microsoft .NET® 2.0 do not provide methods to permit direct binding of data objects to Microsoft Windows® forms or web forms.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed workflow data binding system.
In the drawings, the same reference numbers and acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element 204 is first introduced and discussed with respect to FIG. 2).
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